The Hindu : Front Page : Orissa disputes State's claim

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 26, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Orissa disputes State's claim

Santosh Patnaik

Orissa's right over Vamsadhara is `absolute and unquestionable'

VISAKHAPATNAM: Orissa has strongly disputed the claim of Minister for Major Irrigation Ponnala Lakshmaiah and declared that their (Orissa's) right over Vamsadhara is `absolute and unquestionable.'

Orissa Minister of State for Water Resources Rabi Narayan Nanda told The Hindu on Saturday that there was no truth in the claim of Mr. Lakshmaiah that their State was violating the understanding arrived at with Andhra Pradesh.

``It's an emotional issue for the Orissa people. The Vamsadhara is the proud possession of our State. It's our property and we will go ahead with our plans to construct Vamsadhara-Rushikulya linkage project at a cost of over Rs. 900 crores,'' Mr. Nanda declared, brushing aside Mr. Lakshmaiah's threat to take legal action. The Andhra Pradesh Minister had opposed the Orissa Government's decision to launch survey and investigation work on upper and lower reaches of Vamsadhara `in violation of an understanding arrived at with Andhra Pradesh."

`No going back'

He told reporters at Hyderabad on Friday that they would complain to the Union Ministry of Water Resources and the Central Water Commission against Orissa's threat to cut into the share of Andhra Pradesh in the river water.

Mr. Nanda, a lawyer himself, holding independent charge of water resources portfolio, said they would go ahead with their plans to irrigate 30,000 hectares in the drought-prone and naxal-hit districts of Ganjam, Rayagada and Gajapati. The project would also provide a permanent solution to the drinking water problem in Berhampur -- the largest city of South Orissa.

Making it very clear that they were not interested in picking up a confrontation with anyone, the Orissa Minister said that "utilisation of Vamsadhara waters being an emotional issue for our people, our Government will not go back, come what may, in executing the projects.''

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail